October 7, 2021
Twenty Attorneys General, including New York AG Lettitia James, have sued the USPS on grounds that the USPS failed to fully vet Trump appointee Postmaster Louis DeJoy’s 10-year plan which DeJoy specifically intends will slow down mail delivery. The nature of the complaint and why it important is concisely explained in the following article published in Axios of October 8, 2021, the date the complaint was filed.
20 Attorneys General Sue In Ongoing Battle Over Proposed Mail Slowdown
Twenty attorneys general on Thursday sued the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), arguing the agency did not fully vet Postmaster Louis DeJoy’s 10-year plan for the U.S. Postal Service, which ultimately led to a slowdown of mail delivery.
Why it matters: The USPS argued that the slowdown would save money, but the changes could affect people who depend on the mail for their businesses, medication and bills, according to North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.
- “The Plan reflects multiple unprecedented changes in the Postal Service’s operations and service, at a time when reliance on the mail remains at historic levels,” the attorneys general said in a statement.
The big picture: The suit alleges that the PRC did not give an advisory opinion for most of DeJoy’s plan.
- “The Postal Service has only submitted two requests for an advisory opinion [from the PRC], which represent only a small portion of the Plan’s scope,” the suit alleges.
Flashback: A PRC report released in July said that the Postal Service did not prove “its case for reducing service standards for all Americans.”
- “The plan also fails to provide sufficient evidence to justify exceptionally limited cost savings projections,” PRC Commissioner Ashley Poling wrote.
- The slowdown went ahead despite the PRC’s report and began Oct. 1.
What they’re saying: The PRC said it received the lawsuit and plans to establish a docket and take it under advisement, per CBS News.
- The USPS told CBS News that the lawsuit “has no legal or factual merit, and the Postal Service intends to move to dismiss it pursuant to the rules of the Postal Regulatory Commission.”
END OF AXIOS ARTICLE
The full text of the Attorneys General complaint against the United States Postal Service filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission of Washington, D.C. on October 7, 2021, can be viewed in your browser by clicking on the link below titled “States v. USPS 10.7.2021.” Other links allow the full text of the letter to be downloaded to your device and shared on Twitter and Facebook.